Caldwell celebrates its Chisholm Trail history

SUMNER COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW) — The town of Caldwell celebrated its legendary history over the weekend with the Caldwell Chisholm Trail Festival .

The town proudly calls itself the Border Queen as it is so close to the Oklahoma state line. It also is where the Chisholm Trail entered Kansas. In the late 1800s, cowboys drove two million cattle along the trail from Texas to railroad towns in Kansas.

The festival this weekend included a cattle drive. One participant said he is grateful to be able to reenact history.

“We always want to try to remember where we came from and what got us to where we are today, so the cattle drives bringing the cattle to the railhead in Kansas,” Sam Wylie said, who brought cattle.

Now in its 30th year, the festival included music, a pet parade, gunfights, and dance hall girls.

Tourists are invited to explore Caldwell year-round . Visit the Trails, Rails, and Scales Visitor Center, go on the downtown historical sign walking tour, or visit the Border Queen Museum.

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